Animal Adaptations (year-round)
Discover how adaptations aid in animal survival with a scavenger hunt,
adaptation activity, and a look at live animals.
Animal Homes (year-round)
Learn how animals’ size and adaptations define their shelters. Hike to
survey different animal homes.
Animal Tracks (year-round)
Study track identification basics and hike to search for and identify tracks
of resident animals. Make plaster casts of animal prints to take home.
Apple Cidering (Sept-Oct)
Using an old-fashioned cider press, make apple cider and learn about the
natural and cultural history of apples. Enjoy a fall hike, time allowing.
Bees and Honey (April-Sept)
Collect insects and learn about the bees’ hive and life cycle. Finish the
program with a sample of Wood Lake honey.
Birds Around Us (year-round)
Birds are amazing and beautiful creatures that alert us to changes in the
environment. Discover the incredible secrets of bird behavior and migration.
Birds Around Us- Advanced (year-round)
Birds are amazing and beautiful creatures that alert us to changes in the
environment. Discover the incredible secrets of bird behavior and migration
and learn how to use binoculars and a field guide.
Cold-Blooded Critters (April-Oct)
Learn the attributes of animals with no fur or feathers, observe live
specimens in their habitats, and participate in a ‘hands-on’ visit with some
live cold-blooded critters.
Compass Skills (year-round)
After learning how to use a compass, experience some of its real-life
applications by playing an orienteering game and finding an animal using
radio telemetry.
Cross-Country Skiing (Jan-Feb)
Learn the basics of cross-country skiing with an indoor demonstration
followed by practice outdoors. Snow conditions permitting. Additional ski
rental cost: $3 per participant under 16 years old, $6 per participant 16 or
older.
Flight (April-Oct)
Discuss and see examples of the four types of flight and go outside to
experiment with boomerangs and water rockets.
Hot Air Balloons (year-round)
Discover the physics of hot air balloon flight, then construct and launch a
model hot air balloon.
Insect Study (April-Sept)
Using sweep nets and magnifying ‘bug boxes’, find and observe insects and
other invertebrates in the prairie and forest.
Insect Study- Advanced (April-Sept)
Using sweep nets, magnifying ‘bug boxes’, and a scavenger hunt sheet,
perform a mini field experiment to find, observe, and sort insects and other
invertebrates using a classification key.
Keeping Warm (Dec-Mar)
Learn about the importance of insulation for animals that live in cold
climates. Make predictions about the effectiveness of various insulative
materials and carry out an experiment to test the predictions.
Light and Energy (year-round)
Observe properties of light and energy through hands-on experimentation and
test vocabulary knowledge with a game.
Maple Syruping (Feb-Mar)
Learn about the natural and cultural history of maple syruping. Identify and
tap maple trees, collect sap, and turn syrup into a maple sugar treat.
Marsh Explorers (May-Sept)
Discover the incredible variety of animals, insects, and plants that live in
the marsh. Dip into the marsh with a collection cup to explore the hidden
depths of this diverse wetland.
Marsh Explorers- Advanced (May-Sept)
Discover the incredible variety of animals, insects, and plants that live in
the marsh. Dip into the marsh with a net and collection cup to explore this
diverse wetland, then examine caught specimens with a video projection
microscope.
Migration and Hibernation (Sept-Feb)
Identify the ways animals (including humans) adapt for winter. Hike to find
signs of animal activity and play a migration game to learn about the
importance of habitat for migrating animals.
Native American Life (year-round)
Experience what life may have been like for Native Americans. Cook
stickbread over a fire, use bone tools, play battledoor, and learn about the
plants and animals used for survival.
Natural Resource Management (May-Sept)
Learn about invasive plants and animals, then take part in restoring Wood
Lake’s diversity by removing buckthorn and/or other invasive plants.
Nature Close-up (year-round)
Using magnifying glasses and microscopes, study wings, fur, plants, and
other nature closer than ever before. On a hike, collect something special
to observe under a microscope, then try to identify some common household
objects close-up.
Predator/Prey (year-round)
Compare the adaptations of predators and prey by looking at skulls of
herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. Play a game to simulate predator/prey
relationships and watch a video of predators in action.
Snowshoeing (Jan-Feb)
Experience the joy of walking on top of snow, conditions permitting.
Additional snowshoe rental cost: $1 per participant.
Soil, Rocks, and Minerals (April-Oct)
Learn the difference between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks and
compare their characteristics. Discover how they turn into a key component
of soil and explore soil’s other ingredients.
Survival Shelters (year-round)
Learn about the basics of survival, then test survival skills by making a
shelter out of natural materials.
Taxidermy for Beginners (year-round)
Learn about taxidermy and anatomy by removing and tanning a mouse pelt from
a frozen domestic mouse used for animal feeding. Additional supply cost:
$1.50 per mouse.
Water Quality (May-Sept)
Test the quality of water at Wood Lake with testing kits and an up-close
look at living water quality indicators.
Weather & Water Cycle (year-round)
Using infrared thermometers and anemometers, learn why we have weather and
how to measure it, and see firsthand how the water cycle works.
Wild Edible Plants (May-Sept)
Discuss how to identify, collect, and prepare wild edible plants. Sample
some of Wood Lake’s wild edibles and prepare a simple wild edible recipe.
Worm Cookies (May-Sept)
For adventurous groups! Learn about the life history and significance of
earthworms, then dig up worms to clean, cook, and mix with dough to make
real worm cookies. (No kidding; they’re delicious!)
